y m 


. 


The  Lee  Mansion 


WHAT  IT  WAS  AND  WHAT  IT  IS 


Miss  Hannah  Tutt,  Historian 
of  the  Marblehead  Historical  Society 


Remove  not  the  ancient  landmark,  which  thy  fathers  have  set’ 

( Proverbs  22:  28) 


Copyright  1911,  by  Marblehead  Historical  Society 
Printed  by  N.  A.  Lindsey  & Co.,  Inc.,  Marblehead,  Mass. 


It  was  in  the  year  1768  that  Col.  Jeremiah  Lee,  a wealthy  merchant,  then 
at  the  height  of  his  prosperity,  laid  the  foundation  of  his  princely  home  among 
the  rocks  of  the  little  fishing  and  commercial  port  of  Marblehead. 

Fashioned  as  it  was,  after  the  homes  of  his  ancestors,  it  needed  but  the 
hawthorne  and  the  hedgerows  to  transport  one  to  old  England,  and  indeed  the 
very  timbers  of  which  it  was  framed  were  grown  in  the  mother  country. 
Built  at  a cost  of  over  ten  thousand  pounds,  it  could  hardly  be  rivaled  through- 
out the  whole  province  of  Massachusetts  Bay — and  overshadowing,  with  its 
grandeur,  the  humble  home  of  the  fisher  folk,  no  wonder  it  became  to  them 
the  “Mansion,”  and  the  “Lee  Mansion”  it  has  always  been,  the  pride  of  the 
whole  town. 

Squarely  it  stood  upon  the  main  highway  of  the  little  town — its  three 
storied  height  surmounted  by  a cupola  which  was  a veritable  watch  tower 
overlooking  the  harbor  and  bay  where  the  great  merchant  ships  could  be  seen 


I 


MAIN  STAIRCASE,  LEFT 


PANEI,  IN  UPPER  HALL 


coming  and  going  on  their  journey  from  foreign  ports,  and  a brilliant  spectacle 
it  must  have  been  for  its  time,  with  the  candle  light  streaming  from  its  many 
checkered  paned  windows,  on  nights  when  there  were  great  doings  at  the  man- 
sion; for  Colonel  Lee  and  his  wife,  mistress  Martha,  were  hospitable  people, 
noted  for  their  generosity  and  public  spirit.  But  if  the  outside  was  imposing 
and  beautiful,  greater  beauties  greeted  the  eye  when  once  you  crossed  the 
threshold. 

Mounting  the  broad  freestone  steps  of  its  pillared  portico,  the  clang  of  its 
shining  brass  knocker  opens  the  door  to  us  and  we  stand  in  the  broad  front  hall, 
held  speechless  as  we  gaze  at  its  great  proportions.  Extending  the  length  of 
the  house,  nearly  sixteen  feet  in  width,  its  massive  doors,  its  mahogany  wains- 
cotting,  its  wide,  low  stepping  staircase,  with  finely  carved  mahogany  railing 
leading  up  to  a landing  where  a seat,  beneath  a cathedral  window  flanked  by 
Corinthian  columns,  tempts  one  to  stop  and  gaze  on  the  garden  below;  and  its 
walls  hung  with  panelled  paper,  telling,  by  pictured  story  and  emblem,  the  his- 


4 


MAIN  ENTRANCE 


tory  of  some  by-gone  day,  all  prove  it  to  be  the  center  of  attraction  of  the  whole 
house.  On  the  right  of  the  hall  is  the  dining-room,  . its  panelled  wainscotting, 
carved  frieze  and  fireplace  of  panels  bordered  by  these  same  carved  Corinthian 
columns,  being  all  of  white.  The  gravity  hinge  on  its  swinging  door  is  rare 


5 


MAIN  STAIRCASE 


and  valuable,  also  the  removable  brasses  which  cover  its  large  H hinges.  On 
the  left  is  the  large  banqueting  or  state  dining-room,  originally  in  natural  pine, 
panelled  from  floor  to  ceiling,  its  mantel  being  a marvel  of  beauty,  with  rich 
carving  of  fruit  and  flowers,  of  Gibbons  type,  festooning  a central  panel  con- 
taining, it  is  said,  a painting  of  such  value  that  it  sold,  in  later  years,  for 
three  thousand  dollars.  Leading  from  this  room  is  the  library  or  office  with 
windows  looking  into  the  garden,  while  hidden  behind  the  panelling  of  the  fire- 
place are  the  double  iron  doors  of  a safe,  built  into  the  chimney,  where  the 
family  silver  and  valuables  could  be  safely  hidden  in  case  of  sudden  alarm. 

Across  the  hall,  at  the  rear,  is  the  kitchen.  Here  doors  to  right  and  left 
open,  one  on  the  hall  of  the  side  entrance  to  the  house,  the  other  to  a passage 
leading  to  the  cook  house  and  slave  quarters,  a brick  building  on  the  east  whose 
lower  story  sheltered  the  family  coach,  while  above  slept  the  slaves;  for  Col- 
onel Lee  had  many  who  were  kept  busy  loading  and  unloading  his  vessels,  as 


6 


they  came  into  port.  That  cooking  was  done  in  some  outer  kitchen  or  cook 
house  is  evident  from  the  size  and  build  of  the  oven  in  this  family  kitchen, 
which  could  hardly  roast  a turkey,  let  alone  the  loaves  of  bread,  pots  of  beans 
and  puddings  which  made  up  a baking  in  those  days.  It  rather  served  to  keep 
the  dishes  warm  for  the  family  table. 

On  the  second  floor  the  same  proportions  and  beauties  are  found  as  below. 
The  large  state  chamber  over  the  banqueting  room  and  the  smaller  one  over 
the  dining-room,  both  show  the  panelled  wainscotting,  carved  friezes  and  pic- 
tured papei',  while  recessed  windows  with  broad  window  seats,  panelled  shut- 
ters with  H and  L hinges,  shining  brass  knobs  and  escutcheons  and  tiled  fire- 
places abound  in  all  the  rooms,  of  which  there  are  four,  besides  two  small  dress- 
ing rooms  and  a large  linen  closet  or  press  leading  off  one  of  the  rear  rooms. 

In  the  kitchen  chamber  half  of  a double  closet  door  opens  on  a small  stair- 
case leading  to  a room  above  which  was  evidently  the  nursery,  since  the  door 
at  the  top  has  no  latch  and  could  not  be  opened  from  the  children’s  side.  It 
furnished  a short  cut  from  the  mother’s  room,  thus  avoiding  cold  hallways. 


MAIN  STAIRCASE,  SHOWING  OVAI.  WINDOW 


7 


On  the  third  floor  one  passage  runs  north  and  south,  the  other  east  and 
west.  The  walls  here  are  covered  with  papers  of  a Chinese  design. 

Two  large  chambers  open  on  the  first  passage,  the  south  one  having  re- 
cessed windows  and  tiled  fireplace,  the  north,  while  lacking  the  recessed  win- 
dows, has  a small  dressing  room  leading  from  it.  On  the  easterly  passage  two 
small  rooms  open  with  no  visible  means  of  heating,  while  the  passage  ends  at 


the  back  staircase.  Two  rear  rooms  remain  on  this  floor,  the  nursery  over  the 
kitchen  chamber — it  is  to  this  room  that  the  small  staircase  leads — and  an 
inner  lumber  or  trunk  room.  The  back  staircase,  with  panelled  wainscotting 
and  carved  rails  its  entire  length,  leads  down  to  the  side  or  easterly  entrance 
to  the  house  and  opens  on  the  yard,  where  the  date  of  the  building,  1768,  is 
set  in  white  cobble  stones,  among  the  grey  stones  of  the  paving,  which  as  well 


8 


as  the  broad  granite  steps  were  religiously  scrubbed  every  Saturday  by  later 
occupants  of  the  house.  This  cobbled  side  yard  steadied  the  coach  and  the  two- 
wheel  chaise  when  family  or  guests  were  alighting. 

Our  tour  of  the  building  is  not  complete  without  a trip  to  the  tower  or 
“Cupola.” 

Up  a short  flight  of  steps  on  the  easterly  passage  a small  landing  and  then 
a little  winding  staircase  brings  us  to  the  tower,  where  six  small  cathedral  win- 
dows overlook  not  only  the  harbor  and  bay  but  the  whole  town  scattered  as  it 
was  among  the  rocks  and  under  the  headlands.  On  our  way  down,  an  open 
door  into  the  attic  shows  us  the  solid  framework  of  the  house  from  its  hand- 
hewn  beams  and  rafters  held  together  by  wooden  dowels,  and  its  two  huge 
chimneys,  while  its  English  construction  is  shown  by  the  windows,  thrown  in 
instead  of  outside  the  building,  reflecting  light  from  the  windows  of  the  hall 
below.  Even  the  cellar  is  interesting  in  this  old  mansion  with  its  floor  paved 
in  some  intricate  zig-zag  pattern  and  its  brick  arches  forming  huge  store  closets 
and  many  a barrel  and  bale  from  foreign  port  must  have  ended  its  journey 
here. 

And  this  is  the  Lee  Mansion  as  it  was  in  those  Colonial  days  when  the 
great  rooms  echoed  with  laughter  and  music  and  the  waxen  tapers  shone  on 
men  in  short  clothes,  silver  buckles  and  gold  lace,  women  in  trailing  brocades, 
powder,  puffs  and  rare  laces,  and  the  negro  servants  coming  and  going  on  many 
a household  errand. 

But  Jei'emiah  Lee  had  not  long  to  enjoy  his  beautiful  home,  for  even  then 
there  were  rumors  of  troubles  to  come  and  when,  in  a year  or  two,  such  ques- 
tions as  the  “Boston  Port  Bill,”  “Undue  Taxation”  and  the  “Tea”  question  were 
agitating  the  little  town,  while  storms  at  sea  wrought  disaster  to  the  fleets, 
there  were  hard  times  among  its  people,  and  Jeremiah  Lee  was  taking  an  ac- 
tive part  in  all  its  affairs. 

When  with  Col.  Azor  Orne  he  was  elected  to  the  Continental  Congress,  he, 
with  Orne,  was  obliged  to  decline,  owing  to  the  great  expense,  and  Elbridge 
Gerry  was  then  sent  at  the  town’s  expense,  afterward  becoming  Vice-Pres- 
ident of  the  United  States. 

(1.)  Our  late  townsman  J.  H.  Orne,  Esq.,  speaks  thus  of  Lee:  “As  mod- 
erator of  important  town  meetings,  as  town  officer  in  various  capacities,  as  rep- 
resentative in  the  ‘General  Court’  and  as  a member  of  the  province  ‘Committee 
of  Safety  and  Supplies’  he  rendered  faithful  public  service.” 

Elbridge  Gerry  and  Azor  Orne  were  also  members  of  the  same  important 

(1.)  From  "Deeds  of  Our  Ancestors,”  by  .1.  H.  Orne,  Eij.  Printed  in  The  Messenger,  1S75. 


9 


KITCHEN  FIREPLACE 


committee  and  having  attended  one  of  its  meetings  held  at  Weatherby’s  Black 
Horse  Tavern,  in  Cambridge,  on  the  18  th  of  April,  1775,  the  three  members 
from  Marblehead,  being  considerable  distance  from  home,  resolved  to  spend 
the  night  there.  It  was  during  that  night  that  eight  hundred  British  soldiers 
started  for  Lexington  and  Concord.  Reaching  Cambridge,  the  battalion  halted 
while  a detachment  was  sent  to  capture  the  three  “rebels."  Aroused  from  their 
slumbers  and  warned  of  their  danger,  they  hurriedly  left  the  house  and  es- 
caped across  the  fields  leaving  their  clothing  behind.  The  detachment  departed 
after  an  unsuccessful  search,  the  battalion  moving  on,  the  three  patriots  left 
their  place  of  concealment  and  recovered  their  clothing.  It  is  said  that  Lee 
never  recovered  from  the  illness  contracted  by  this  exposure,  and  now,  when  his 
abilities  and  experience  were  of  great  importance  to  his  country,  his  friends 
were  summoned  to  his  dying  bed  at  his  “country  seat  in  Newbury”  where  he 
breathed  his  last  just  three  wreeks  after  his  narrow  escape  at  Cambridge.  Thus 
died  one  of  the  earliest  martyrs  to  the  patriot  cause,  never  forgetting  his  coun- 


10 


STATE  CHAMBER 


try  or  its  needs  while  sense  remained,  for  it  is  said  that  one  of  the  last  acts  of 
his  life,  was  to  provide  a legacy  in  his  will  of  five  thousand  pounds  for  the 
“Province  Treasury.” 

Our  late  Historian  Roads  says — 

(2.)  “The  death  of  this  eminent  patriot  at  a time  when  his  inestimable 
services  were  of  more  value  than  ever  to  the  town  and  province,  was  universally 
lamented.” 

In  the  various  positions  of  trust  and  honor  which  he  had  held,  as  an  enter- 
prising and  successful  merchant,  and  as  an  “ardent,  active,  and  able  advocate 
for  the  Liberties  and  Independence  of  his  Country,”  he  inspired  the  confidence 
and  esteem  of  all  who  knew  him.  In  his  private  intercourse  with  his  fellow- 
men,  he  was  admired  for  the  urbanity  of  his  manners,  and  beloved  for  his  gen- 
erous disposition  and  benevolence  to  the  poor. 

He  was  buried  in  the  church  yard  of  the  New  Meeting  House  (Unitarian) 

(2.)  “History  and  Traditions  of  Marblehead,”  by  Samuel  Roads,  Jr. 


II 


I* 


in  Marblehead,  where  his  tomb  may  still  be  seen.  Colonel  Lee  married  in  1745 
Miss  Martha  Swett  of  Marblehead  and  eight  children  were  born  to  them,  de- 
scendants of  whom  are  being  heard  from  in  different  parts  of  the  country. 
Life  size  portraits  of  Colonel  Lee  and  his  wife,  painted  by  the  famous  Copley, 
now  hang  in  the  Art  Museum  in  Boston. 

But  the  doors  of  the  mansion  were  not  closed  by  Mistress  Lee  on  the  death 
of  her  husband,  but  were  ever  open  to  the  townspeople.  Washington  on  his 
visit  to  the  town  in  1781  was  entertained  at  lunch  here,  while  Marquis  De 
Lafayette,  the  friend  of  Washington,  also  enjoyed  the  hospitality  of  the  great 
house  in  1784  and  1824,  and  Historian  Roads  tells  us  that  “President  Monroe 
received  here  the  hospitality  of  the  citizens,  and  here  Andrew  Jackson  shook 
the  hands  of  the  sturdy  fishermen,  who  almost  worshipped  the  old  hero,  and 
were  so  true  to  him  through  life.” 

Col.  William  Raymond  Lee,  of  Revolutionary  fame,  the  nephew  of  Jeremiah 
Lee,  made  his  home  here  later,  with  his  aunt,  assisting  her  in  the  care  of  the 
estate.  In  the  final  settlement  the  house  came  into  the  possession  of  Chief  Jus- 


front  CHAMBER.  THIRD  FLOOR 


12 


tice  Sewall,  who  sold  it  in  1804  to  the  Marblehead  Bank.  For  over  a hundred 
years  one  of  the  front  rooms,  and  later  the  others,  were  used  as  banking  rooms, 
and  the  various  cashiers  have  reared  their  large  families  here. 

The  front  door  has  always  been  open  to  visitors  to  view  its  fine  old  stair- 
case and  hall,  while  many  a social  event  has  taken  place  in  the  upper  rooms,  the 
later  occupants  of  the  house  carrying  out  the  same  hospitable  ideas  as  the 
original  owners. 

What  the  mansion  was  in  the  days  of  the  Lees,  it  practically  is  today  in 
build,  if  not  in  purpose. 

“Across  its  antique  portico”  still  falls  the  shadows  of  the  elms,  while  its 
broad  freestone  steps  have  been  worn  smooth  with  the  tread  of  many  feet, 
some  on  business  intent,  others  to  view  the  old  mansion,  for  scarcely  a visitor 
to  Marblehead  has  been  allowed  to  depart  without  this  inspection. 

On  May  9,  1898,  the  Marblehead  Historical  Society  was  organized,  its  mem- 
bers being  the  trustees  past  and  present  of  Abbot  Public  Library.  Its  first 


13 


BACK  STAIRCASE,  LOOKING  BACK 


collection  was  placed  in  the  library.  In  August,  1899,  its  first  loan  exhibition 
was  held,  and  a wealth  of  articles  of  rare  historic  value  was  brought  out  from 
the  homes  of  the  town,  many  of  them  brought  from  foreign  ports  by  the  mer- 
chant men  of  the  town,  and  held  as  treasures  by  their  descendants.  When  the 


14 


PANEL,  AKCH  OF  VESPASIAN 

exhibition  ended,  so  many  of  these  articles  had  been  given  to  the  society  that 
a room  was  rented  of  the  Young  Men’s  Christian  Association  in  the  “King 
Hooper  Mansion,”  where  the  exhibition  had  been  held.  But  the  close  of  the 
year  found  the  collection  increased  from  one  hundred  to  two  and  larger  quarters 
were  needed,  so  on  November  1,  1900,  the  society  removed  to  the  brick  building 
next  door  to  the  mansion,  formerly  the  slave  quarters.  Remaining  here 
for  nine  years,  the  collection  reached  into  the  second  thousand,  and  member- 
ship increased  as  well.  Being  again  overcrowded,  and  feeling  that  could  they 
have  some  historic  building  with  more  room  for  display  many  of  the  larger 
articles  of  furniture  held  by  families  in  the  town  might  come  into  the  care  of 
the  society,  and  living  next  door  to  the  Lee  Mansion,  our  eyes  turned  long- 
ingly toward  it.  Knowing  the  place  that  it  held  in  the  hearts  of  the  towns- 
people, and  that  it  could  be  purchased,  it  was  thought  wise  to  arouse  public 
interest  in  that  direction.  Accoi'dingly  in  August,  1907,  a second  loan  exhibi- 
tion was  held  in  Abbot  Hall  and  “The  Lee  Mansion”  became  our  slogan.  At 
the  close  of  this  exhibition,  lasting  one  week,  we  had  with  gifts  from  sons  and 

*5 


daughters  of  Marblehead  living  out  of  the  town  about  seven  hundred  dollars 
toward  buying  that  or  some  other  building  and  had  at  least  turned  public  senti- 
ment in  that  direction.  Later  when  the  building  fell  under  the  auctioneer’s 
hammer,  for  three  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  and  it  was  rumored  that  the 
fine  old  mansion  was  to  be  ruthlessly  shorn  of  its  carving  and  beautiful  stair- 
case, it  seemed  like  an  act  of  desecration  to  the  townspeople,  and  a few  ladies 
of  the  society  started  out  on  a crusade  to  see  what  could  be  done  to  reclaim  the 
old  landmark.  As  a result  a very  enthusiastic  meeting  of  the  society  was  held 
and  it  was  unanimously  voted  to  purchase  the  building,  from  the  buyers  at  the 
auction,  for  fifty-five  hundred  dollars,  the  price  then  given. 

A soliciting  committee  was  appointed  to  canvass  the  town  and  gifts  came 
in  from  young  and  old,  in  town  and  out,  resident  and  summer  visitors.  Three 
thousand  dollars  was  raised  in  this  way,  the  rest  being  given  on  mortgage. 
New  members  came  in  by  the  hundred  and  on  July  9,  1909,  we  came  into  pos- 
session of  the  building.  Repairs  were  begun  at  once  and  the  doors  thrown 
open  to  the  public.  It  was  the  purpose  of  the  society  to  keep  the  mansion  as 
nearly  as  possible  as  it  was  originally,  so  partitions  were  taken  down,  old 
papers  reproduced,  fireplaces  opened  up  and  retiled,  rooms  painted  and  papered 
as  needed ; the  fine  old  imported  paper,  being  in  good  preservation  after  one 
hundred  and  forty  years  of  use  and  disuse,  was  cleaned  and  repaired  and  the 
rooms  were  gradually  filled  with  the  rare  old  furniture  which  began  to  come  in. 
The  garden  w-hich  was  not  included  in  the  sale  of  the  building  was  next  added 
to  our  possessions  and  a “Friendship”  border  started  here.  Since  the  purchase 
of  the  mansion  visitors  by  the  thousands  have  flocked  to  its  doors  each  year 
from  every  state  and  country,  many  returning  to  bring  others  with  them.  Art- 
ists have  raved  over  its  beauties  and  architects  begged  to  copy  its  ingenious 
carvings  and  decorations. 

Its  historical  collection,  numbering  nowr  over  seven  thousand,  includes  not 
only  documents,  china,  portraits,  embroidery,  and  the  products  of  Chippendale 
and  Hepplethwaite,  but  the  various  industries  of  the  town,  from  early  years, 
are  represented,  and  many  miscellaneous  articles  pertaining  to  the  town’s  his- 
tory have  their  home  here. 

The  house  is  open  each  day  from  early  spring  until  late  fall,  and  on  Sat- 
urdays during  the  entire  year.  The  small  admission  fee  which  is  charged,  the 
sale  of  souvenirs  and  annual  dues  with  an  occasional  entertainment  or  education- 
al exhibition  is  helping  to  pay  its  running  expenses.  The  past  year  owing  to 
enlarged  w-ork  and  increased  expense,  a newr  system  of  membership  was  estab- 
lished, providing  for  three  classes — Active,  Sustaining  and  Life  members.  Any 
person  donating  one  hundred  dollars  becomes  a Patron  of  the  society,  while  the 

16 


gift  of  one  thousand  dollars,  by  will  or  otherwise,  makes  one  a Benefactor 
whose  name  is  inscribed  on  a tablet  displayed  on  the  walls  of  the  mansion. 

Jeremiah  Lee  builded  better  than  he  knew  when  he  placed  his  home  in 
the  heart  of  the  little  town,  and  the  reclaimed  mansion  stands  today  a monu- 
ment not  only  of  the  early  prosperity  of  the  town,  but  a reminder  to  young  and 
old  of  Lee  and  others  of  his  day,  who  gave  of  their  best  to  their  town  and  their 
country.  As  it  was  “the  pride  and  wonder  of  their  day”  it  is  still  the  joy  and 
“admiration  of  our  own.” 


>7 


HMMMdHb*' 


